Rivers of Light Dining Package advice

RachelleBeaney

PrincessShelle
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Hi DISers

I really need some help with a Rivers of Light Dining Package conundrum I am facing. Since you are all much wiser than I am about this stuff I thought I'd ask you all for help.

We booked a Rivers of Light Dining Package at Tusker House on Saturday 28 September (12:30pm). It's for the 1st showing of ROL at 8:00pm. This will be our first time seeing ROL, and I know seating can be limited and a pain to deal with.

When we booked the package I'm SURE there was only one showing of ROL the night we are visiting. However in checking some show schedules the other day I noticed that there is now 2nd showing scheduled that night at 9:15pm (park closes at 9:00pm).

Going to the 2nd showing would fit WAY better with our plans (we have a Flight of Passage FP from 7:35 - 8:35 as that was the ONLY time we could get and it will give us more time for night photos in the park, which is something we love doing). I attempted to cancel my current res and book one for the second showing, but none were available. I tried to check FP availability for the 2nd showing but they've either sold out or aren't available. To be sure, I called Disney Dining and tried to change the reservation for the 2nd showing. The lady I spoke to said it was strange, she could see there was a 2nd showing scheduled but there had been no Dining Plan seats released for it (not that it was sold out, that there were literally none released). She did also mention sometimes the second showing can be more popular.

Now I'm not quite sure what to do. I do really want to do the 2nd show but from what I've seen standby can be crazy and it can be hard to get a good seat without showing up an hour before the show (which I don't want to do). Which of these options do you guys think I should attempt:
  • Cancel my current dining reservation and try and get a FP for the second show day of. I assume they do leave aside some FPs for the day of? We have three booked, the first being Kali River Rapids at 9:40am, however I'd be very happy to cancel this FP if there was a chance I could get a ROL FP first thing the day we visit
  • Do what Disney Dining Suggested and just keep checking hoping that reservations are made available for the 2nd show (has anyone had any experience with trying to book for the 2nd show this late in the game, would it be likely that they are yet to release dining show seats 3 weeks out)
  • Cancel my dining reservation and attempt standby. If I do this what are the chances of getting a decent seat 30 mins out from the start of the show (that's how early I could conceivably be there to wait).
Any help you guys could give will be hugely appreciated.
Rachelle :)
 


You will be there the same time we are! Well not in AK, but in Disney.
I had the opposite issue with the second seating, and if we keep the ADR (I'll decide close to the time) I am just going to ask at the restaurant if there is any way we can switch to the earlier seating. If so, great. If not - I'm not too jazzed either way. Have a great trip!
 

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